Hybrid Tea rose plant named ‘Delgramau’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Hybrid Tea rose plant is provided which abundantly forms on a substantially continuous basis attractive long-lasting double lilac-colored flowers that bear a strong fragrance. The petals commonly detach cleanly without drying on the plant. The new variety was created by artificial pollination at Hyères, France. The growth habit is bushy. The vegetation is vigorous and good disease resistance to Blackspot and Powdery Mildew has been observed during observation to date. The new plant is well suited for growing as attractive ornamentation in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification: Rosa hybrida/Hybrid Tea Rose Plant.

Varietal denomination: cv. Delgramau.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Rosa hybrida Hybrid Tea rose plant was created by artificialpollination carried out during 1998 in a greenhouse at Hyères, France,wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied inthe hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. Thefemale parent (i.e., the seed parent) was the ‘Delge’ variety(non-patented in the United States). The male parent (i.e., the pollenparent) was the ‘Adharman’ variety (non-patented in the United States).The ‘Delge’ variety sometimes is identified as CENTENAIRE DE LOURDES.The ‘Adharman’ variety sometimes is identified as COMMANDANT COUSTEAU.

The parentage of the new plant can be summarized as follows:‘Delge’×‘Adharman’.

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found through careful study that the new variety of Hybrid Tearose plant of the present invention exhibits the following combinationof characteristics:

-   -   (a) from a physical point of view forms green mature wood,        displays a bushy growth habit with glossy foliage, and forms        attractive long-lasting double lilac-colored flowers that bear a        strong fragrance, and    -   (b) from the biological point of view forms vigorous vegetation,        produces flowers in abundance on a substantially continuous        basis, and exhibits good resistance to Blackspot and Powdery        Mildew.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andis particularly well suited for growing outdoors as attractiveornamentation. A bush or climbing growth habit is displayed.

The new variety can be readily distinguished from its ancestors in viewof the combination of characteristics described herein. For instance,the new variety can be readily distinguished from its ‘Delge’ varietyparent through an examination of blossoms and overall plant vigor. Morespecifically, the blossoms of the new variety are larger and possess agreater number of petals than the ‘Delge’ variety. Also, the new varietydisplays more vigorous vegetation than the ‘Delge’ variety. Unlike thenew variety, the ‘Adharman’ variety forms dark red blossoms.

The new variety of the present invention also can be readilydistinguished from the ‘Delgrarose’ variety (U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 12/453,138, filed concurrently herewith) which wasthe product of the same cross pollination. The blossoms of the‘Delgrarose’ variety possess a greater number of petals and are pink incoloration rather than the lilac coloration displayed by the presentvariety.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation and can bereadily reproduced by conventional routes, such as budding (i.e., eyegrafting). This asexual reproduction as performed at Malicorne, France,has demonstrated that the characteristics of the new variety are stableand are strictly transmissible from one generation to another.Accordingly, the new variety can be asexually reproduced in atrue-to-type manner.

The new variety has been named ‘Delgramau’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in a color illustration of this charactertypical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were grown outdoors in central France, at Malicorne,France.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 3—illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thepetals;

FIG. 4—illustrates specimens of a flower in the course of opening;

FIG. 5—illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—obverse;

FIG. 6—illustrates a specimen of an open flower—plan view—reverse;

FIG. 7—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—obverse;

FIG. 8—illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower—plan view—reverse;

FIG. 9—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 10—illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens and sepals removed);

FIG. 11—illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 12—illustrates a specimen of a main branch;

FIG. 13—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets—planview—upper surface;

FIG. 14—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets—planview—upper surface;

FIG. 15—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets—planview—under surface; and

FIG. 16—illustrates a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets—planview—under surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart-2001). The description isbased on the observation of plants grafted on Rosa laxa understock whilegrowing outdoors in central France, at Malicorne, France.

-   Class: Hybrid Tea.-   Plant:    -   -   Height.—Plants which were pruned to a height of 20 to 30 cm            produce floral stems having an average height of            approximately 70 to 150 cm, and an average stem length of            approximately 90 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 50 to 60 cm on average.        -   Habit.—Bushy.-   Branches:    -   -   Color.—Young shoots: when approximately 20 cm long, exhibit            green coloration, Yellow-Green Group 146A. Floral stems:            Green Group 137B. Mature wood: Green Group 137B and Purple            Group 79A.        -   Diameter.—Commonly approximately 10 to 18 mm (average 12            mm).        -   Thorns.—Configuration: convex on the upper edge and concave            on the under edge. Quantity, length and frequency: on a            typical floral stem having a length of 90 cm, there commonly            are no thorns on the 30 cm below the bud, for the next 30 cm            no or very few thorns, and for the last 30 cm some thorns            irregularly arranged having lengths of approximately 3 mm to            1 cm and an average length of approximately 8 mm. On a young            shoot having a length of approximately 30 cm, there commonly            are few thorns. Color: on floral stems the coloration of the            thorns is Greyed-Purple Group 184A to Red-Purple Group 60B,            and on mature wood the thorns are Greyed-Purple Group 184A            to Red-Purple Group 60B.        -   Leaves.—Number: typical for the class and commonly number            approximately 90 to 100. Size: terminal leaflets commonly            are approximately 60 to 90 mm (average 70 mm) in length and            approximately 40 to 65 mm (average 46 mm) in width.            Stipules: adnate, medium in size, and commonly 20 to 30 mm            (average 25 mm) in length, approximately 5 to 8 mm (average            7 mm) in width at the mid-point, and approximately 13 to 20            mm (average 15 mm) at the distal end.        -   Leaflets.—Number: commonly 3 and 5. Shape: general obovate,            with an acuminate apex, rounded at the base, and convex in            cross section. Serration: present, single, and irregular.            General appearance: consistent with strong glossiness.            Petiole: commonly bears some prickles (often 1 to 3 per            petiole), and the inner surface is grooved with            non-glandular edges. Petiole color on floral stems:            Greyed-Purple Group 183C. Petiole color on mature wood:            Yellow-Green Group 146A on the upper surface and            Yellow-Green Group 146C on the under surface. Petiole length            of terminal leaflet: approximately 16 to 24 mm,            approximately 20 mm on average, with a standard deviation of            0.22 mm. Petiole diameter: approximately 2 mm. Rachis color:            Yellow-Green Group 144A. Rachis Length: approximately            5.5 cm. Rachis diameter: approximately 1 to 2 cm. Rachis            texture: generally smooth. Terminal leaflet length:            approximately 60 to 90 mm, approximately 70 mm on average,            with a standard deviation of 0.67 mm. Terminal leaflet            width: approximately 40 to 65 mm, approximately 55 mm on            average, with a standard deviation of 0.41 mm. Leaflet color            of young shoot: Yellow-Green Group 147A with some coloration            of Greyed-Orange Group 175A on the upper and under surfaces.            Leaflet color on floral stem: Yellow-Green Group 147A on the            upper surface and Yellow-Green Group 146C on the under            surface. Leaflet color of mature wood: Yellow-Green Group            147A on the upper surface, and Yellow-Green Group 146C on            the under surface. Venation: in a typical alternately            arranged pattern, and the coloration commonly is            Yellow-Green Group 151A on mature wood, and Greyed-Purple            Group 183C on the extremities of young stems and floral            stems.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Number of flowers.—Generally one to three per stem.        -   Peduncle.—Erect, stiff, Yellow-Green Group 144B in            coloration with some Greyed-Purple Group 183C, and            approximately 85 to 115 mm in length (average approximately            100 mm), and approximately 7 mm in diameter.        -   Sepals.—Number 5. Configuration: elongated, sharply pointed,            one or two sepals commonly possess no extensions, and two or            three sepals commonly possess medium extensions. The            extensions are denticulate. The sepal length commonly is            approximately 3.5 cm, and the sepal width commonly is            approximately 1.1 cm. Color: Yellow-Green Group 143B on the            upper surface and Yellow-Green Group 138B on the under            surface.        -   Buds.—Shape: ovate in longitudinal section just before the            opening of the sepals. Size before calyx breaks: the bud            lengths are approximately 25 to 35 mm, with an average            length of approximately 30 mm, and the bud diameters            commonly are approximately 35 mm just before the opening of            the petals. Color as calyx breaks: Red Group 53B. Size after            calyx breaks: the bud lengths are approximately 35 to 40 mm,            with an average length of approximately 37 mm. Color after            calyx breaks: inside: Red Group 54A.        -   Flower.—Time: when growing outdoors flowering commonly            begins early at central France, i.e., commonly by the end of            May. Shape: rounded when viewed from above. Form: double,            flattened at the upper part when viewed from the side, and            flattened convex to convex at the lower part when viewed            from the side. Diameter: medium, approximately 9 to 13 cm,            and approximately 11 cm on average, with a standard            deviation of 0.5 cm. Petal number: commonly approximately 28            to 40, and an average of approximately 35. Petal size            (second row from outside): the length is approximately 50 to            64 mm with a mean of approximately 57 mm, and a standard            deviation of 4 mm; and the width is approximately 55 to 70            mm with a mean of approximately 64 mm, and a standard            deviation of 6 mm. Petal shape: the overall shape is            generally rounded, the undulation of the petal margins is            weak, and the reflexing of the margins is very weak. The            petal apex tends to be relatively flat and the petal base            tends to the flattened-convex in configuration. Petal color:            the following description of a nearly fully open flower was            made outdoors at the end of summer. Petal color (middle            zone): on the inner surface Purple Group 75C, and on the            outer surface Purple Group 75C. Petal color (marginal zone):            on the inner surface Purple Group 75C, and on the outer            surface Purple Group 75C. Petal spot at base: small in size,            and commonly covers only approximately 3 percent of petal            surface. Color of spot inner side: Yellow Group 7D. Color of            spot outer side: Yellow Group 7D. Stamens: approximately 150            in number and are somewhat regularly arranged. Filaments:            medium in length, not all possess an anther, and when the            flower is partially open Yellow-Orange Group 14A in            coloration. Anthers: medium in size, all open at            approximately the same time, and the immature coloration is            Yellow-Orange Group 14A. Pollen: sparse in quantity and            Yellow-Orange Group 21A in coloration. Pistils:            approximately 90 in number. Styles: medium in length and Red            Group 43C in coloration. Stigmas: Yellow-Orange Group 18B,            and generally are present at the same level as the anthers.            Hips: in longitudinal section they are in the shape of a            funnel and commonly are approximately 23 to 28 mm in            diameter on average. Seeds: present. Lastingness: the            blossoms commonly last approximately 6 days on the plant            under normal environmental conditions and approximately 4            days when cut and placed in a vase. Petal drop: the petals            commonly detach cleanly without drying on the plant.            Fragrance: strong, and commonly citrus-like, similar to that            of grapefruit.-   Development:    -   -   Vegetation.—Vigorous.        -   Blooming.—Very abundant and substantially continuous.        -   Resistance to diseases.—Excellent, particularly with respect            to Blackspot and Powdery Mildew.        -   Winter hardiness.—Good under observations to date.        -   Drought tolerance.—Good under observations to date.

1. A new and distinct Hybrid Tea Rose plant that exhibits the followingcombination of characteristics: (a) from a physical point of view formsgreen mature wood, displays a bushy growth habit with glossy foliage,and forms attractive long-lasting double lilac-colored flowers that bearstrong fragrance, and (b) from a biological point of view forms vigorousvegetation, produces flowers in abundance on a substantially continuousbasis, and exhibits good resistance to Blackspot and Powdery Mildew;substantially as illustrated and described.